Bound by Shadows

Chapter 20

### Chapter 20: The First Test

Adira had barely slept, her body aching from the tension of being tied down for hours. She couldn’t tell how much time had passed, only that every moment felt like an eternity. The silence in the room was suffocating, and her mind raced with every possible scenario of what Zade planned to do next.

The door creaked open, and Zade entered once more, followed by the same two guards. This time, they didn’t speak. One of them unshackled her wrists while the other roughly grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to her feet.

Adira's legs wobbled beneath her, weak from the hours of immobility. She caught herself before she fell, but the guard’s grip on her tightened, yanking her forward. Zade didn’t look at her, his eyes instead focused on the room ahead.

They dragged her down another long corridor, one that was colder and darker than the last. The air smelled faintly of mildew, and the walls were stained with something she didn’t want to identify. Her heart hammered in her chest as they approached a set of large double doors at the end of the hallway.

When the doors opened, Adira was led into a large, cavernous room, its stone walls lined with shadowy figures. Men. There were about ten of them, standing in the corners, their faces hidden by the dim light. She could feel their eyes on her, the way they watched her every move with cold calculation.

"Today," Zade said, breaking the heavy silence, "you will face your first test."

Adira swallowed hard, her throat dry. She forced herself to stand tall, to meet his gaze without flinching.

Zade gestured to one of the men in the corner, who stepped forward slowly. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his face obscured by a mask that covered the lower half of his face. His eyes were dark, gleaming with a predatory glint.

"This," Zade continued, his voice low, "is your opponent."

Adira's heart pounded in her chest as she looked at the man, every instinct screaming at her to run. But she had no choice. There was nowhere to go, no one to help her.

The man stepped closer, and she could see the glint of something in his hand—a long, thin whip. Her stomach lurched, and she bit down on the inside of her cheek, refusing to show fear.

"You will endure his punishment," Zade said, his eyes never leaving her face. "And you will survive."

The man raised the whip, the leather slicing through the air with a sharp crack. Adira tensed, her breath catching in her throat as she prepared for the blow. But it didn’t come.

Zade stepped in front of her, holding up a hand to stop the man.

"Before we begin," he said quietly, "you will answer a question."

Adira frowned, her mind racing. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Zade’s gaze darkened, his expression hard and unyielding. "I want the truth about your past."

"I told you—I don’t know what you’re talking about," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "I don’t have any secrets."

The crack of the whip came without warning, and the pain shot through her like fire. Adira gasped, stumbling forward as her knees buckled beneath her. She bit her lip to keep from crying out, her vision blurring as the sting of the lash burned into her skin.

"You will remember," Zade said, his voice calm, almost detached. "And when you do, the pain will stop."

Adira clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as the whip came down again. This time, she couldn’t stop the scream that tore from her throat, the sound echoing off the stone walls.

The other men watched in silence, their expressions hidden, but she could feel their eyes on her, feel the weight of their judgment.

Zade stepped closer, his voice low. "Tell me what you know."

Adira shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "I don’t know," she choked out. "I swear, I don’t know."

The whip cracked again, and this time, she collapsed to the floor, her body shaking from the pain. She gasped for air, her chest heaving as she tried to force herself to stand. But her legs wouldn’t hold her weight, and she slumped forward, her face pressed against the cold stone floor.

Zade crouched beside her, his hand gripping her chin and lifting her head. His eyes were dark, emotionless, as he studied her.

"You’re lying," he said softly. "And we will keep going until you tell the truth."

Adira’s vision swam as the pain consumed her, her mind spinning with confusion. She didn’t know what he wanted. She didn’t understand what he was looking for. But she knew one thing—she had to survive.

"No," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I’m not lying."

Zade released her chin and stood, nodding to the man with the whip. The man raised it again, and Adira braced herself for the next strike, her entire body trembling with fear.

But this time, Zade stopped him.

"Enough," he said, his voice cool and controlled. "For now."

The man stepped back, lowering the whip as Zade looked down at Adira, his expression unreadable.

"Take her back to her cell," he ordered the guards. "We’ll continue tomorrow."

The guards grabbed her roughly by the arms, hauling her to her feet. Adira’s legs wobbled beneath her, barely able to hold her weight as they dragged her out of the room. The last thing she saw before the door closed behind her was Zade’s cold, unfeeling gaze.

As they led her back to her cell, Adira’s mind raced with questions. What was Zade searching for? What truth did he think she was hiding? She didn’t know, but one thing was certain—whatever it was, she would have to endure a lot more before he would stop.

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